A woman who went from earning $42,000 a year to building a business that earns over 7 times as much shares her best advice for entrepreneurs

Before Selena Soo started her own business, she was earning $42,000 a year working for a nonprofit in New York City.

Tired of the demanding schedule and low pay, she headed to business school in 2010 in order to change tracks.

Two years later, she launched her public relations coaching business, S2 Groupe. In 2014, her business earned over $300,000 — and over $100,000 in February 2015 alone.

She told Business Insider that she credits that growth to one thing in particular: the connections she built.

Even before she settled on coaching, Soo had made a point of helping and connecting with online thought leaders like Adam Grant, Danielle LaPorte, Ramit Sethi, Derek Halpern, and Marie Forleo.

By reaching out and offering to help with everything from promoting their products to analyzing their plans, she built a reputable base that was able to eventually offer help in return.

She advises:

I think that rather than waiting for opportunities, we can actually create our own opportunities by being proactive, by identifying who are the people that we really care about and admire. It’s not just about the people who can always do the most for you.

Who do you feel just drawn to, passionate about, maybe you see a piece of yourself in them and they inspire you? The opportunity to help them is the reward. You don’t need anything in return, but to be a part of their world and support them.

When you’re clear about who those people are, then give generously to them.